THE COLLARED PECCARY 



(Dicotyles tajafu) 



THE true Pigs (Suidce) are purely Old-World animals except where 

 man has introduced his domestic Swine artificially ; but America has 

 Pigs of her own in the shape of the two species of Peccary, which 

 are sufficiently distinct to be classed in a separate family (Dicotylidce). 

 Of these the Collared Peccary is the better known, and is the only one 

 found in North America, where it ranges as far north as Arkansas, 

 being really a southern animal, as it is chiefly found in the northern 

 part of South America. 



It is a rather small animal for one of the Pig tribe, not reaching 

 quite a yard in length, and it presents some remarkable differences 

 from the true Pigs in the matter of its teeth and toes. The upper 

 canines point downwards as in most animals, and the lower ones do 

 not project outwards ; thus those teeth have a quite ordinary ap- 

 pearance, not appearing outside the lips, and cannot be used in ripping. 

 They are, however, large for the size of the animal, which can give 

 a most severe bite. In the upper jaw there are only four incisors, 

 whereas the Wild Boar has six in each jaw. 



In the feet it will be noticed that the outer back toe of the hind- 

 foot is missing, so that the fore-feet are even-toed, having the usual 

 two large hoofs and two small ones of the Pigs, and the hind-feet 

 asymmetrical. The stomach is different from that of the Old-World 

 Pigs, not consisting of a single cavity only, but of three, thus 

 approaching to the ruminant type. The tail is remarkably short a 

 mere rudiment, in fact. The coat of the Collared Peccary is very full, 

 forming a mane or crest down the head and back, and is composed 

 of bristles so coarse that they look like miniature Porcupine-quills, 

 especially as they are similarly ringed with alternate black and white 

 bands. 



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